Chapter Forty-Two – The second meeting

Nadine had been kind enough to call in advance, informing the secretary working about the rushed meeting. She had just enough time to inform the mayor himself and clear the other meeting for the day before the duo walked into the door.

“Andvari, always a pleasure” Anthony greeted as the man strode into his office, closely followed by a smaller and most peculiar female. She was more concerned with taking in the room than looking at the actual people in it.

“I can’t say the same mayor” Adam answered rather coldly before settling in one of the chairs in front of the desk. Katlyn on the other hand kept walking around, curiously looking at everything in the room.

“Who is your friend?” Anthony asked curious. She seemed much different than the people he met on a regular basis.

“Oh, how rude of me. I’m Katlyn. Katlyn Nord” Katlyn casually introduced herself, giving the mayor a short not before she took a seat on the other chair, her eyes still taking in the surroundings.

“I thought it would be larger, grander” She said in the end, her eyes settling on the mayor in front of her. It was just like any other office, wooden walls, a large desk with a chair, two matching leather chairs in front in a brown tone and two more in a makeshift saloon. It was basic, just like the man in front of her.

“Sorry to disappoint” Anthony answered her before turning his attention to Adam. “I’m guessing you’re here because of Mr. Noye”

One didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to put the two dots together to create a line. Henry Noye had all but declared war against anyone who didn’t fit into his perfect world and idea of the perfect being. And his own phone hadn’t stopped ringing ever since. His interview had struck a nerve in the small community, those who had lived through the horror of the last wolf issue reliving their worst days.

“Among others. First, a question for you. Did you tell Ariel about my true nature?” Adam looked into the mayors’ eyes, his own shifting between amber and yellow as Damir presented himself alongside him.

“I did” Anthony answered before swallowing hard.

“Did you also order her to try and kill me?”

Anthony’s eyes widened in shock.

“No, that’s the opposite of what I asked her to do. I asked her to find out how many lived there, and if any of them were of any kind of danger. But then she got drunk, mumbling something about her friend being turned, by you may I add. So, I called her boyfriend, who brought her home and did the recon for me”

“You could have just called me” Adam answered simply. “Before I got about half a dozen arrows sticking out of by body”

Adam slid his phone over the desk for the mayor to see. Devan had been smart enough to take the photo before they did anything, it was a way to prove what had happened since there wouldn’t been any wounds or scars to prove it.

Anthony slowly picked up the phone, feeling his insides turn. There was no denying it, there were in fact seven arrows point out of Adam’s upper body, most of them centered around his abdomen, but also in his chest and his back. The shirt he was wearing was soaked with blood.

“Why?” Anthony asked.

“Why what?” Katlyn, who had been observing silently, couldn’t help herself.

“Why did she attack?” Anthony showed the phone back over the table. He didn’t want to believe that Ariel acted on impulse, attacked without reason. No, not her. But he also knew Adam, in a way. He’d lived in town for a long time and never caused trouble. Not once.

“I was hoping you knew. I was simply taking a walk with someone I care about. One moment we’re talking, the next I have an arrow sticking out of my stomach and Ariel keeps shooting and shouting madness” Adam explained and watched as Anthony’s face was drained of all color.

“I had no idea he… She must have…” Anthony mumbled, but he was unable to create full sentences.

“I’ll deal with it. Trust me”

“I don’t know if I can trust you right now. Between Ariel and Mr. Noye insisting on calling everyone to a meeting there is too much that can happen” Adam answered bluntly.

“They are staying at your land, arrived in the dead of night, and hasn’t stepped a foot outside of it. It raises questions” Anthony tried to sound sure, but his voice failed him at every other vowel.

“How did you even know?” Adam wondered.

“I have my ways, just like you do. So, what do you propose we do?” Anthony leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Create a new narrative” Adam leaned back against the chair, his arms resting on the armrests.

“Go on then”

“They aren’t refugees. They are campers. Traveling the world, they heard about my place and decided it was safer to stay there than any other hotel in town” Adam answered simply.

“All of them?” Anthony leaned forwards.

“All but one. She’s family, poor girl lost her parents in a fire. A friend of mine made sure she came to her closest family. If you doubt my word I’ll be happy to provide the papers” Adam continued.

Katlyn turned her head towards Adam, her brows knitting together. How was he going to prove that little Alehtta was his family?

“Very well then – how long will they stay for?” Anthony relaxed.

“That depends – some for long, others not so long. Some have family members they are on their way to visit, but they wanted to stop by the north first, experience the midnight sun. You know, it’s a very odd phenomenon to those who live in the south of Europe. Others have plans to stay longer. Maybe work for a while, get to experience both the midnight sun and the northern light” Adam answered like it was the most normal thing in the world, his voice steady, like he had actually planed this out ahead of time.

“That sounds all good to me. Some tourists come to spend a whole year to backpack through the area. And considering the light, no wonder they started in the north” Anthony smiled. He actually smiled. Katlyn was confused but didn’t say a thing.

“So, we’re all good?” Adam asked, and Anthony confirmed it with a solid nod.

“Of course. As long as they don’t cause me or the other citizens a problem, they are free to stay for as long as you feel like housing them. You could consider opening up an actual camping with the amount of land you have. Would save us loads of trouble in the future” Anthony rose from his chair, and Adam followed suit.

Katlyn was the only one still seated, her mind still trying to play catch up with what had just happened in the last ten minutes.

“Do you have any concerns miss Nord?” Anthony looked to Katlyn, who shook her head and rose to her feet. “None” She offered him a smile before following Adam out of the office.

The meeting had been anything but what she had expected, but she didn’t dare to ask any other questions before they were out of the building, both safely seated in the car and on their way back to the pack house. Not until there was a good distance away did she dare to open her mouth.

“What was that?” Katlyn managed to say. She had so many questions, that being the only one who could cover them all.

“That was me buying us some time” Adam answered shortly.

“But – I’m confused” Katlyn sighed.

“Anthony was the one responsible for Ariel learning the truth, and by doing that he endangered not just me but also the people who live at my property. He endangered the entire pack by asking her to get information, and he knows that. He doesn’t want to be at fault for the actions of others. His focus is on keeping the people safe, and ensuring we play by his rules. And he knows I do. I have for years” Adam explained.

“So when you say they are just campers, tourists spending some time in the north because of the nature, family and whatnot he can sell the story to everyone else?” Katlyn asked, still feeling rather confused.

“Yes. It gives him a reason to let the people seeking a safe life stay. He knows people are being chased out of their homes because of disagreements, he’s a very educated person after all. And he has a narrative to tell everyone who might ask questions, or people like Mr. Noye. It also gives him a reason not to call a town meeting. To the people in town they can just be tourists who came to see the sun, meet their family, reconnect with a loved one they met online. The possibilities are endless”

“You gave him a narrative that’s very hard to discredit” Katlyn said, finally understanding his way of thinking. “It’s actually real clever” She was honestly impressed.

“But, what about Alehtta. How are you going to prove she’s family?” That was a more difficult narrative to prove. “And what about her parents? What if they are still alive?”

“Do you believe they are?” Adam asked her. Katlyn shook her head.

“No, they handed their little girl over to strangers for a reason, because they knew that was her best chance of survival. Then they went in the other direction, leading the people who followed them away from her” Katlyn’s heart fell. Poor little one. Losing one’s parents wasn’t easy, she knew from personal experience.

“As for the documents, that’s easy to manipulate. We have Lilith at the hospital, Jasper at the police station. There is always a way” Adam said confident as they turned off the main road and onto the dirt road leading up to the pack house, taking a left at the gate to park the car off the side of the property.

“If you say so. Why did you even bring me along?” Katlyn wondered. She hadn’t been of much help.

“I needed a witness” Adam answered with a shrug.

“Why not bring someone else?”

“You’re reliable, trustworthy, your aunt has a good reputation, you’re not wolf” Adam exited the car.

“You think I’m trustworthy?” Katlyn got out of the car after him, a surprised look on his face.

“You haven’t given me a reason not to trust you when it concerns the well-being of others” Adam answered her. “But I don’t trust you to be alone with my mate” He added.

“You’re no fun” Katlyn sulked, but she wasn’t really offended. He trusted her enough to be part of important matters, that was an upgrade to her.

“If you need me I’ll be in the library” Adam started walking towards the house.

“I’ll be in the skies” Katlyn called after him. Undressing behind the car door before slamming it shut.

“Keep an eye for a certain redhead!” Adam called over his shoulder as he heard the familiar flaps of wings and a white owl flew over his head, it’s talons barely missing the top of his head.

“Damn bird” Adam muttered as he closed the gates behind him, feeling his shoulder drop once he was back at safe ground, surrounded by familiar scents and sights.

“Alpha!” Devan came running up to him the moment he saw him.

“How did the meeting go?” Devan fell into steps beside him.

“Good. And on your end?”

“Good and bad. No news about a meeting just yet. But I made some calls to other packs who’d had to deal with hunters in the past. You know, THE hunters. They were gearing up to leave”

Adam stopped in his tracks.

“How many?” Adam dreaded the answer.

“Everyone they know off” Devan answered.

“So – even if the meeting doesn’t happen and no one learns about out presence here it’s just a matter of time” Adam kept his voice low, trying not to alarm anyone out of sight.

“He’s trying to force us out” Devan said.

“Well, I’m not leaving quietly” Adam answered with a low growl.

“Me neither – but we can’t ask anyone to stay and fight”

“I know. And we can’t plan for anything before we know more. Katlyn is up in the air, maybe she’ll see something we won’t” Adam tried to sound hopeful, but things weren’t looking good.

“Maybe. And maybe they aren’t heading here. There could be…” Devan stopped when he saw the look his Alpha gave him.

“If that was the case we would have heard about it already”

Devan couldn’t disagree with him. They both knew everything was silent in the were and shifter community. Even Nadine had little to report about from the witches.

“So, do we call in back-up?” Devan asked.

“Maybe. Look into that. I have somewhere I need to be” Adam started walking again, heading straight for the library once he was inside. Devan took a turn to the left and walked into the dining hall where lunch was being served, trying not to seem too worried as he found a seat next to Marjatta and some of her friends.